darkshines
by fall from stars
Summary: ONESHOT—The least he can do is offer Cloud that dark euphoria. [Sephiroth]
1. Darkshines

**A/N:** Right, so. Like most of my stories lately, this one popped into my head at around two in the morning after looking at simply gorgeous art and songs. This one's the love child of "Darkshines" by Muse and a gorgeous photo of Sephiroth entitled "waiting, sweetheart, waiting" by tsukimeushi on DeviantArt. You'll see if you search for it. I mean…damn.

So, yes. Sephiroth/Cloud undertones, tread lightly if you so please. There's also a part with Sora I had to cut out just to make it flow better, but since Sora is such a sweetie and I couldn't bear to cut him out completely since he actually got these two fighting, I'm including it as a deleted scene. YAY.

Reviews make my day. Right. On with the show.

**Darkshines**

Sephiroth spins his life around waiting for Cloud.

It was Cloud's darkness that borne him to existence, granted him his powers and his abilities. He owes something to the boy, something he hates and can't touch and can't do anything about.

And for that, perhaps for helping him come alive, perhaps for giving him his power, he wants to bring the blond down with him.

Darkness is the purest euphoria he's ever known. It's instant power and instant domination, it's the needs fulfilled, the needs you never knew you had.

Cloud is the closest thing he has to a brother.

The least he can do is offer him that euphoria.

But Cloud is weak, and he doesn't understand the good Sephiroth is bringing to him.

Cloud clings to the light like a child. He won't let go of the ghosts, he won't surrender when Sephiroth ask-request-forces him to comply. And even when Cloud falls, even when his eyes are clouded over with shadows, one of his bright-eyed, bright-smiling friends always brings him back.

Even when Cloud slips away from him, Sephiroth only smiles. It's a singed smile, turned purple-black by drinking in the darkness.

"You'll be back," he says, confidently, arrogantly, because there's nothing else that he believes in this world.

---

He doesn't care to sleep very much. Sleep is an overly human necessity, and by definition his body doesn't require it. But he's found that it conserves his strength, stores it away for the battle that's due very soon.

He's not entirely sure what to make of the things they call dreams. He's been dreaming just one dream nearly all his life.

He's been dreaming of Cloud's downfall, the only reason he exists, the only reason he keeps returning from the oblivion, from the dead.

He dreams of the inevitable defeat, where the last glimmer of light is finally snuffed out. He dreams of bringing Cloud down and watching him drown, deep in a place where only the dark shines. He's almost desperately vying for it, doing anything in his power to draw Cloud in, claim him as his own at long last, asphyxiate him on darkness and see him draw his last breath.

---

He's waiting.

He's _always_ waiting.

He's centered his whole life around it, and he hopes that he will live to see it done.

He's waiting for the day that he sees Cloud make one mistake. It won't be anything anyone else can see. It will be small: a slipped knee, a wince, a blink.

It will be the moment where Sephiroth gains everything and Cloud loses it all.

Cloud's life, his will, his heart.

It will all belong to Sephiroth.

He's waiting for the day he becomes the most powerful creature the light and darkness has ever known.

And you'd do best not to disturb him.

---


	2. Deleted Scene

**A/N:** Random deleted scene featuring Sora getting up in Sephiroth's business. Feel free to skip over it; it doesn't really affect anything you saw in the first page.

Even the Keybearer concerns himself with Sephiroth's doings at one point. He should find this flattering; only the Keybearer is some spiky-haired boy with a big mouth and a bad attitude.

Sephiroth is almost _insulted. _But he often holds himself above such things, and lets the child come out to play.

He smirks when the boy brings out the blade, hits him with it even when he's told him that's enough. The strength he's been saving comes against this little boy, makes him wince, makes him barrel back with pain.

This is little more than child's play, and he'd have a bigger challenge with a mob of the white husks.

That's what he thinks until the boy hits a breaking point, dodges the harvest and the fire pillars, somehow worms his little blade into the place where Sephiroth's heart should be.

The boy, whose name is apparently Sora, seems very surprised when Sephiroth doesn't disappear.

I'm not a Heartless, nor a Nobody, he tells the boy. Your blade doesn't harm me.

He should know these sorts of things; if this is the education of a Keybearer, the light is truly doomed after all.

You're very skilled, Sephiroth admits.

Sora smirks, immaturely. He crosses his arms to show that he's quite proud of himself. Arrogance could be his downfall yet. He'd better hope he continues to be selfless, or Sephiroth may just set his eye on _him_.

He focuses instead on the task at hand and says, But only Cloud can defeat me.

The boy's face falls.

He says that since Cloud obviously doesn't sense his presence, it's best that the Keybearer actually make himself useful. Don't waste time, Sephiroth tells him. Find him, tell him this.

He leaves the message.

_Tell Cloud to come here_.

---


End file.
